dangers of insomnia

Chamomile is a common flowering plant that grows in various parts of central and southern Europe (Croatia, Hungary, Germany, Slovakia, and Italy), as well as in north western Asia. Chamomile is also now widely cultivated in North Africa, Egypt, Australia, the United States, and Argentina.

Frequently packaged as a tea, the dried flowers and dried leaves can be bought over the counter in both loose and bagged form.

For many hundreds of years Chamomile has been an extremely effective sleep aid and it can be employed in several ways including being brewed as a tea and used in a sachet placed under your pillow.

Unlike some herbal sleep remedies, chamomile does not need to be used regularly to enjoy its effects as a sleep aid. It can be used when required to provide quick relief for sleeplessness and anxiety.

Chamomile tea, which is brewed from the dried flowers and leaves of this common plant, commonly proves most effective when taken a half an hour to forty-five minutes before retiring.

Chamomile can be particularly useful in remedying the symptoms of mild insomnia (often referred to as transient insomnia).

Chamomile also reduces the histamine-based swelling produced by allergic reactions, and is a very good solution when food allergies or congested sinuses are a contributory factor to sleeplessness.

It should be noted however that hay fever sufferers who display an allergic reaction to ragweed and its close botanical relatives (such as chrysanthemum and aster) sometimes display a similar reaction to Chamomile.

Valerian, a hardy perennial flowering plant with sweetly smelling pink or white flowers, grows in large parts of Europe and Asia and now also grows naturally in parts of north America. Other names commonly used for valerian include: garden valerian, and garden heliotrope (no relation to Heliotrope - Heliotropum).

Valerian is also known by various folk names: All-Heal, Caopn's Trailer, Cat's Valerian, Bloody Butcher, Fragrant Valerian, Sets Wale, Vandal Root, Phu, Red Valerian, Amantilla, St. George's Herb, English Valerian, and Set Well.

The main components used for medicinal purposes are the roots, rhizomes (underground stems) and stolons (horizontal stems). Normally harvested in September, the dried roots may be used to prepare teas and tinctures, while the dried plant materials typically find their way into capsules or tablets.

Reference is made to the use of valerian as a medicinal herb as far back as the time of rome and ancient Greece. Hippocrates wrote of its therapeutic uses and, in the 2nd century, Galen prescribed valerian for insomnia. In the 16th century saw it used to treat heart palpitations, trembling, nervousness, and headaches. In the mid-19th century, many people considered valerian a stimulant that caused some of the same complaints it is thought to treat and held it in low esteem as a medicinal herb. During The Second World War the British used it for the relief of stress during air raids.

Unlike a lot of other natural herbal sleep aids, to gain the benefits of the effects of valerian you must use it regularly, with the full effects building over time.

Results should appear after about a month and regular use promotes deep relaxation and sleep. Several studies suggest valerian as by far the best natural solution for insomnia and general sleeplessness.

Though frequently prescribed as a calming sleep aid, valerian also plays a useful role in treating anxiety-related sleep problems.

Unlike other frequently prescribed sleep medications, valerian lacks toxicity, does not impair your ability to drive or operate heavy machinery and does not enhance the effects of alcohol.

A native of the mountains of the western Mediterranean, Lavender is a flowering bush that was 'domesticated' by the Arabians before being spread widely throughout Europe by the Romans.

The Pilgrims brought Lavender to North America and it appeared as one of the very first garden plants in Australia in the 19th century. It is found in abundance in the wild in many areas of the world as well as being garden grown in sunny, well-drained areas, preferably in a somewhat alkaline soil. The smaller species also grow quite easily in well-drained pots.

This popular flowering herb's essential oil depresses the central nervous system in a manner that is similar to many pharmaceutical tranquilizers.

Lavender is both useful and effective when it is used as a sleep aid. In addition to the use of lavender flowers in a brewed tea, it may also be used as an essential oil distilled from the stems, flowers and leaves of the plant.

Lavender oil can be applied topically as a muscle relaxant or its aroma can be inhaled for a calming effect. Rubbing lavender essential oil on the feet is an especially effective method of application, as anything applied to the feet is absorbed rapidly.

Lavender oil is widely used in aromatherapy and can also be added to bathwater, dispersed in a vaporizer or simply dabbed on a tissue and breathed in. The essential oil from the leaves and flowers can also be used in a sachet underneath your pillow.

It should be noted that allergic contact dermatitis has been well documented in some people using lavender products externally. So that you can safely detect an allergic reaction it is wise to do a spot test before administering a full application.

You should also note that not all varieties of lavender have a tranquilizing effect - some, like Spanish lavender, could have just the opposite effect.